1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to storage and carrying cases, and in particular to storage and carrying cases having self-contained illuminating means for illuminating the contents of the cases.
2. Prior Art
Disc players of various formats and configurations, for playing prerecorded music and other audio and video programs, are commonly found and used in both stationary living environments and in automobiles. To employ the players, it is of course necessary to provide a selection of discs containing the desired programs. If the user seeks variety in the programs available, a large number of discs may be required. The discs in turn are required to be carried to the vicinity of the player and at least temporarily stored there.
Most players are capable of playing a single disc that is manually selected and inserted into the player. The automobile style of player is usually mounted in the dashboard inside the passenger compartment, so that when it is desired to play a specific disc, the disc may be inserted through the front panel of the player. This single play function may be the sole means of playing a disc, or may be provided in conjunction with and as a supplement to an automatic disc changer. In the case of players having automatic disc changing capability, the changer may be located remote from the in-dash player, and may require that a stack of discs be selected and installed before beginning a trip. The changer then changes discs automatically in response to user requests. There is nonetheless a need to change the content of the stacks from time to time, and therefore a need for storage and carrying of discs to the vicinity of the changer.
Whether the player in use is a single disc player or an automatic changer, to use either type of player, discs containing the desired programs must be transported and stored in the vicinity of the player. For automobile mounted players, discs containing the desired programs must be transported to and stored in the automobile. Indeed, for most convenience, the discs must be stored inside the passenger compartment, available within the reach of the compartment occupants and in the vicinity of the player. If it is desired to have a great number of individual program choices, numerous discs will be carried. In consequence, there will be greater potential difficulty in locating the exact disc desired.
It is well known to the prior art to use storage and carrying devices to store generally flat objects—such as compact discs, digital video discs, and similar data storage discs of the type that would be used in stationary, portable or automobile mounted players. These storage and carrying devices are frequently in the form of a small case, comprised of a book-like folder in which individual, pocketed storage sheets are secured by a common edge, as are pages in a book. Each of the sheets contained in the book has pockets adapted to the form of the stored objects, enabling it to securely contain one or more of the stored objects on each individual sheet. It is common that such storage cases contain multiple-pocket sheets. It is also common to store and carry other generally flat objects, including printed matter, such as individual printed pages, business cards, display cards, and the like, in similar storage cases.
It is also well known to use transparent or translucent sheets so that the contents of the pockets are visible to the user without necessitating their removal from the storage and carrying case.
To make the desired selection, the user of the discs must be able to discern the graphic content, or to read the titles and insignia printed on the faces of the discs. Selection of a particular disc under adverse lighting conditions is especially difficult if the specific objects being sought are labeled with small fonts, as may be necessitated by the limited physical space available on the object itself.
The prior art storage and carrying case, of which many varieties are on the market, works well enough in ordinary bright illumination, such as is found outdoors in daylight hours, and in normally lighted interiors. However, in low level lighting and in the dark, it is frequently difficult to locate the desired disc from among the many that may be stored.
In the past, the usual method of viewing the disc faces when the users and the discs are located in low ambient light has been to supply external lighting, usually local permanent or semi-permanent task lighting to supplement the low ambient light, or hand-held portable lighting, such as a flashlight. Inside a stationary living structure, such as a home or apartment, the overall level of the ambient light may also be raised, or a separate task light provided to make the graphics or text readable. In an automobile, the user may rely on the passenger compartment lights, either dome or other passenger compartment lights.
As the use of these discs has become more common in automobiles, the potential for distraction from the more important task of safely operating the vehicle has become an issue. In an automobile, it is preferred that the user stop the car before making a selection from the storage case.
In other low light situations, though the use of an external light does not provide the same safety issue as would use in a moving automobile, it is an inconvenience nonetheless.
The previous method of using the dome or under-dash passenger compartment lights can be distracting to an automobile driver. Use of a portable external light is even more distracting, perhaps requiring that a driver's free hand be used both to hold the light and to position the stored objects for viewing. Relying on supplemental lighting in the more benign living space environment poses no safety issue, but may be less convenient than self-contained illumination, which also has the virtue of maintaining a low ambient light environment, should that be desired for decorative or atmospheric effects.
The present invention provides a solution to these problems by incorporating the use of lighting means onto the individual sheets in which each stored disc is contained. The invention thereby provides self-illuminating storage, in a compact case that has a plurality of storage positions illuminated by the adjacent lights, eliminating some of the disadvantages of the usual method of viewing the disc labels in low ambient light.
Though many examples of storage and carrying cases exist in the prior art, most of the prior art storage and carrying cases do not aim to achieve, and are not designed to allow for self-illumination of the contents. However, some which do have this aim have appeared. U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,545, issued on Apr. 3, 1990 to Price, discloses a lighting device suitable for illuminating cassette cases stored in files in a rectangular container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,521,802, issued on May 28, 1996 to Edington, aims to solve the display and readability problem by providing a lighting means that illuminates the “jewel cases” in which the discs are stored, but not the discs themselves.
It is also well known in the prior art to use small battery powered lighting devices for illuminating and locating keys, and for assisting in use of the keys in their associated locks. U.S. Pat. No. 6,409,360 B2, issued on Jun. 25, 2002 to Contant et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,436 B2, issued on Mar. 18, 2003 to Krietzman et al., disclose small lighting devices for carrying in purses or pockets, and the like, and which serve to illuminate the task while manually selecting objects from among a plurality of articles in the container. These devices do not however provide for storage of the discs or the like within the case, and would not in any case illuminate the discs if they were contained therein.
A need exists therefore for a storage and carrying case having a simple construction which allows the user to find and select for use the desired copy of the disc being sought, even though the case and its contents are located in less than adequate lighting conditions.